A lanthanide coordination compound, [Sm-3(5-nip)(4)(5-Hnip)(H2O)(7)center dot 9H(2)O](n) (5-H(2)nip = 5-nitroisophthalic acid), has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, TG-DSC, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural analysis reveals that the compound features two kinds of 1D channels with guest water molecules. TG-DSC curves show that the dehydrated product of the compound exhibits high stability up to 673 K. The enthalpy change of reaction of formation in water, Delta H-r(m)theta(l), was determined to be (27.608 +/- 0.133) kJ.mol (1) at (298.15 +/- 0.01) K by microcalorimetry. Based on a designed thermochemical cycle and other auxiliary thermodynamic data, the enthalpy change of reaction of formation in solid at (298.15 +/- 0.01) K and the standard molar enthalpy for the compound, Delta H-r(m)theta(s) and Delta H-r(m)theta, were calculated to be (96.8 +/- 0.8) kJ.mol (1) and (-831.4 +/- 16.0) kJ.mol (1), respectively. In addition, thermodynamics and thermokinetics of the reaction of formation of the compound were investigated in water. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.